Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, the first of its kind in the region, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French Pasteur Institute to cooperate in several strategic projects related to the health sector. The MoU, which was signed during Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visit to France from July 18 - 19, 2022, came as part of the Center's efforts to maintain the health of the Emirates and ensure workers safety through enhancing public health and preventive health awareness.
The MoU was signed by Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADPHC, and Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Pasteur Institute, in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. Many officials from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also attended.
The new cooperation intends to increase the joint efforts in a number of the key aspects related to public health research, including communicable diseases, preventative health, education and innovation. The memorandum also will tackle establishing a branch for the Pasteur Institute in Abu Dhabi to boost the integration of medical research to combat pathogens, especially new emerging ones in the region and the world.
On the sideline of the event, Matar Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADPHC, said: "Abu Dhabi Public Health Center plays a pivotal role in supporting one of the main initiatives in the health field within the UAE - France Strategic dialogue Program. Cooperating with one of the leading global public health entities in the European Union and the French Republic, such as the French Pasteur Institute, is an important step to enhance the partnership between the two countries in the health field.”
He continued, “Through this memorandum, we aspire to boost our national cadres, as well as our capabilities in a way that enhances our health-related scientific research and medical education. The MoU will also pave the way for the Center to extend its cooperation in combating communicable diseases, especially emerging ones, worldwide”.
“One of the most prominent parts of the memorandum is the establishment of a Pasteur Institute in Abu Dhabi, which will take the collaboration between the UAE and France in the public health filed to another level that supports the public health initiatives on a local, national, and international scale. We, at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, are honored and delighted to be part of the historic visit of His Highness, the President of the State,” He concluded.
From his part, Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Pasteur Institute, said: “This MoU paves the way for a closer cooperation, communication and coordination. It also enhances our capabilities as a public health entity that uses advanced technology to confront, monitor and respond to epidemics. We will also be able to exchange information related to public and preventive health with the United Arab Emirates, one of the countries that ranked best in the world in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic."
The Pasteur Institute is a private, non-profit foundation that aims to prevent and treat diseases, mainly those of infectious origin, through research, education and public health initiatives. It is also specialized in biology, microbes, diseases and vaccines. For more than a century, it has been at the fore in the fight against infectious diseases. It also achieved many scientific discoveries that enabled modern medicine to confront diseases.
